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Economic evaluation of keeping lay hens in small groups
Project
Project code: vTI-BW-08-96, TI-BW-08-PID1496
Contract period: 01.04.2009
- 28.02.2013
Purpose of research: Basic research
The ban of conventional cages for laying hens in Germany in 2010, two years before the European ban due to the Directive 1999/74/EC, has led to a significant change in production structure and has improved animal welfare. Since small group systems are relatively new, this study will show new results resulting to their economic efficiency in comparison with aviary systems. However, there is still a public discussion on small group systems in regard to their economic efficiency and their impacts on animal welfare and environment. The discussion relates to points like sufficient floor space for movement, perches, nests and scratching area. In this way we want to determine, how the conditions of hen husbandry and the marketing of eggs affect the profitability of egg production in practice. The data needed for the calculation was not available and had to be collected from selected farms in Germany. A questionnaire was developed for the enquiries in cooperation with the Institute of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information processing at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover. The data has been subscribed to the questionnaire by the author together witth the farmers. The empirical basis is a survey of 64 flocks in northern, central and southern Germany (1-3 flocks per farm) presented by a convenient sample. However, the participation of farms with very large flocks was small. The calculation of costs and returns is based on a concept proposed by the German Agricultural Society.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
- Business administration